Women

Breton Striped Shirts

These Breton shirts and striped tunic tops follow suit with the rest of this collection showcasing perfect striped shirts and French tunic styling. Our Breton tops are carefully designed to celebrate seasonal shades so your Breton stripe shirts are always in style. Find a French sailor shirt that follows the strict rules of the 19th-century navy or color outside the lines with Picasso stripes.
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107 products
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MINQUIDAME

Breton Striped Shirt with Long Sleeve | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00
new

MINQUIDAME LUREX

Tri-color Breton Shirt for Women | Lightweight Cotton
$ 145.00

MERIDIEN MODERNE

Original Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00
organic cotton

MERIDAME II

Authentic Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Women Fit
$ 135.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

MINQUIDAME

Breton Striped Shirt with Long Sleeve | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

VAUJANY

Striped Shirt with Heart Elbow Patches
$ 179.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

MINQUIERS PARIS

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt| Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00

MINQUIERS PARIS

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt| Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00
anti-uv

OURAL

Turtleneck Striped Shirt for Women | Stretch Fabric | Women Fit
$ 179.00
anti-uv

PHARE

Boat Neck Striped Tunic with Slits | Stretch fabric with UV Protection
$ 195.00
anti-uv

PHARE

Boat Neck Striped Tunic with Slits | Stretch fabric with UV Protection
$ 195.00
new

MERIDAME CAMPUS

Fancy Breton Shirt Top with Velvet Stripes and Vintage Crest | Heavyweight Cotton Blend | Women Fit
$ 169.00
anti-uv

PHARE

Boat Neck Striped Tunic with Slits | Stretch fabric with UV Protection
$ 195.00
new

MERIDAME CAMPUS

Fancy Breton Shirt Top with Velvet Stripes and Vintage Crest | Heavyweight Cotton Blend | Women Fit
$ 169.00

MINQUIDAME

Breton Striped Shirt with Long Sleeve | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00

OURAL

Turtleneck Striped Shirt for Women | Stretch Fabric | Women Fit
$ 179.00
new

MINQUIDAME GLITTER

Breton Striped Shirt with Glitters | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 169.00
anti-uv

OURAL

Turtleneck Striped Shirt for Women | Stretch Fabric | Women Fit
$ 179.00
anti-uv

PHARE

Boat Neck Striped Tunic with Slits | Stretch fabric with UV Protection
$ 195.00

MINQUIDAME

Breton Striped Shirt with Long Sleeve | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00
organic cotton

MERIDAME II

Authentic Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Women Fit
$ 135.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

MERIDIEN MODERNE

Original Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00
organic cotton

MERIDAME II

Authentic Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Women Fit
$ 135.00

MINQUIDAME

Breton Striped Shirt with Long Sleeve | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00
new

GALATHEE II

Breton Striped Top with ¾ Sleeve | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00
best-seller

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

MERIDIEN MODERNE

Original Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Unisex Fit
$ 135.00

MERIDIEN MODERNE

Original Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00

MERIDIEN MODERNE

Original Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00
final sale

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00$ 71.00

MERIDIEN MODERNE

Original Breton Shirt | Heavyweight Cotton | Men Fit
$ 135.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00

MINQUIERS MODERN

Authentic Breton Stripe Shirt | Soft Cotton | Men Fit
$ 119.00
new

MINQUIERS DROP II

Drop-Shoulder Breton Striped Shirt | Soft Cotton | Straight Fit
$ 129.00
final sale

ETRILLE

Nautical Stripe Tee with Short Sleeves | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00$ 71.00
new

VIRE

Breton Striped Shirt with Collar for Women| Heavyweight Cotton
$ 169.00
final sale

ETRILLE

Nautical Stripe Tee with Short Sleeves | Soft Cotton | Women Fit
$ 119.00$ 71.00

The origins of the Saint James Breton striped shirt

The Breton striped shirt is now over 150 years old and still proudly sports its horizontal stripes.

In 1858, a military ordinance made the Breton striped shirt one of the pieces of the official uniform of the French Navy. This uniform also includes sailor pants, a white shirt with a blue collar, a hat with a pompom, and a short woolen cloth coat, which will become the famous pea coat.

The Breton striped shirt then meets rigorous specifications. The number of stripes and their dimensions are precisely defined: on the body of the striped shirt, there must be 21 white stripes, each measuring 20 mm wide, and 20 to 21 blue stripes 10 mm wide. On the sleeves, the white stripes must be 15 in number, for 14 to 15 blue stripes.

The sleeves should not be too long to avoid protruding from the jacket, and the neckline should come up to the crew neck.

Saint James stripes, a signature

Today, stripes have not disappeared from sailor tops and meet the brand's unique specifications: the stripe pattern is 16 mm / 8 mm and constitutes the Saint James signature. They are now available in several colors.

Their symbolism has evolved enormously. While striped clothing was originally reserved for convicts and prisoners, their adoption by the French Navy has helped rehabilitate them.

Yet no one really knows why sailors adopted a striped uniform. According to some, the contrasting blue and white stripes made it easier to spot a man who had fallen overboard. It is also said that the 21 stripes then symbolized the number of Napoleonic victories.

Other versions claim that because indigo was expensive, striped tops were made in alternating white and blue for economy, or blue was introduced to compensate for the messy appearance of white.

Regardless, these stripes have gradually been adopted by fishermen and boaters before seducing the greatest couturiers such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier, or Karl Lagerfeld. They all revisited the codes of the marinière in their fashion shows.

The secrets of making Saint James Breton striped tops 

The women's stripe tops are made with the highest standards, thanks to the human know-how of the seamstresses.

The iconic Naval striped top for women requires no less than 4,400 yards of cotton yarn, made from 104 cotton flowers. It takes five days of work to make this pattern, from knitting to the finished striped sweater. It has 16 blue stripes on the body and 13 on the sleeves.

Eleven manufacturing steps are required, including cutting the cotton panels, assembling the various pieces of the top, picketing, overlocking, covering, and affixing the labels and logo.

The women's Breton striped shirts are then subjected to quality control before being ironed, packaged, and shipped to customers worldwide.

How to wear a Breton striped shirt?

The Breton striped shirt is the essential piece for a casual-chic style, suitable for the office and relaxation. It goes with all the basics and can be worn with jeans and trainers or a skirt and heals.

The Saint James women's sailor top can be paired with a blazer and boyfriend jeans, tucked in to highlight the waist and hips. It is a perfect replacement for a white shirt in a pantsuit and can also be worn with loose pants and high heels for a more chic and dressy style.

The Breton striped shirt is perfect on a skater skirt or slipped under denim overalls for a resolutely vintage yet modern look. Today, the trend is to combine prints. For an outfit full of character, mix the stripes of the sailor top with a jacket or skirt's floral or graphic patterns.

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